Article (3 paragraphs): A federal judge denied Cher’s request for $1,023,605.30 in attorney’s fees and ordered the singer to cover her own legal costs. This decision follows a May 2024 court ruling ordering the singer to pay over $418,000 in royalties in a lawsuit she filed in October 2021 against Sonny Bono’s widow, former congresswoman Mary Bono, and the musician’s heirs.
The case stems from a long-standing 1978 agreement that entitled Cher to half of the royalties from their combined catalog. After Sonny’s death in 1998, Mary became the administrator of his estate; the heirs subsequently exercised their termination rights under copyright law. According to the case file, Wixen Publishing issued a $187,000 payment to the heirs, $93,500 went to Mary, and $418,156.82 was withheld as owed to Cher.
Although the court had previously upheld some of the singer’s claims and ordered royalties, the legal battle over legal costs was decided against her. Cher’s representative has not yet commented on the ruling.
